Seasoned with Aunt Ji’s words, the villagers immediately became indignant.
“That fool really has no conscience. If it weren’t for Granny Ji’s kindness, she’d probably have starved to death outside already. How dare she hit someone?”
“Exactly, Madam Yao is the same. Even if the fool doesn’t understand things, doesn’t she? After all, she’s not the real mother-in-law.”
“I… I didn’t.” Under the villagers’ discussion, Yao Shi flushed bright red.
“You didn’t? Are you saying Grandma is lying?” Ji Pingping said viciously. After that fool dared to step on her earlier, that whole branch of the family was doomed today!
“My mom said she didn’t, then she didn’t!”
A crisp voice rang out as Ji Changfeng’s younger sister, Ji Changlan, rushed out from the house and stood protectively in front of Yao Shi. Before her elder brother left for school, he told her not to cause trouble, but these people were simply too much. She glanced at the fool on the side and sighed—what a troublemaker!
Song Zhaoxi leaned against the doorframe, sneering at Granny Ji. “You say I hit someone—do you have any proof? How could I possibly beat you? You were clearly knocked flying by a pig.”
Her words made the onlookers freeze.
When did the fool start speaking so clearly? But what she said did make sense. Granny Ji was famously fierce in the village—how could a fool possibly beat her?
“Bullshit!” Granny Ji exploded in rage. No matter what, she remembered exactly how she got hurt today.
“Grandma, why waste words on her? She’s just an ungrateful wretch. Kick her out,” Ji Pingping said, stepping forward to drag Song Zhaoxi outside.
In panic, Song Zhaoxi yanked backward. The coarse cloth dress she had worn for who-knows-how-many years was torn, one sleeve ripped off. Her arm, covered in numerous festering wounds, was exposed to everyone.
Gasps sounded all around.
“What happened? How is this fool so badly injured?”
“It was Granny Ji who did it. I still have more wounds on me.”
Before Granny Ji could even think of a lie, Song Zhaoxi said coldly, “Grandma, I’ve worked for your family too. Why do you hit me whenever you’re unhappy? Today, you clearly rushed at me and scared the pig, which knocked you flying. Why are you blaming me instead?”
“You’re talking nonsense!” Granny Ji’s face changed.
Song Zhaoxi chuckled softly. “I see. You don’t want me to be your son’s bride for good luck, so you’re trying to drive me away and frame me, right?”
Seeing Granny Ji’s pale expression, Song Zhaoxi sneered inwardly. She was no easy fool to bully. Now that she had this body, she would take back every grievance—double and with interest.
The villagers couldn’t help but murmur.
“Could the fool actually be telling the truth?”
“A fool wouldn’t know how to lie, right? And those wounds don’t look self-inflicted… but would a pig really go crazy like that? Granny Ji doesn’t seem like that kind of person either… but bullying a fool like this is too cruel.”
Hearing the discussion, Song Zhaoxi added lightly, “You can’t judge a book by its cover. Who knows what she’s really thinking? After all, Ji Changfeng’s family isn’t even her biological family.”
The villagers’ gazes toward Granny Ji grew complicated.
“Granny Ji, why argue with a fool? Even for Changfeng’s sake, you can’t just drive her away.”
“Maybe you were just knocked silly by the pig. It might not have been her.”
Granny Ji trembled with anger. She had always cared about her reputation and had never been so openly discussed like this. How could they say a pig knocked her like that? Were they blind?!
Seeing Granny Ji at a disadvantage, Ji Pingping frowned and said, “The fool’s injuries were caused by her not working properly. My aunt-in-law beat her. It has nothing to do with us.”
Ji Changlan wanted to refute, but Granny Ji shot her a cold warning look, forcing her to swallow her words in anger.
Seeing the main branch unreliable, Song Zhaoxi swayed slightly and suddenly collapsed to the ground. “It hurts… Granny Ji, please save me…”
A villager couldn’t bear it anymore. “Forget who did it. She’s still a human life. She’s already injured this badly—call a doctor.”
Ji Changlan said coldly, “My father is filial, and all his earnings are in Grandma’s hands. We don’t have money to hire a doctor. Grandma, you can’t just watch her die.”
Song Zhaoxi glanced at her—indeed the heroine’s sister, clever enough.
Granny Ji exploded. “Money, money, money! You good-for-nothing brat, you talk like it grows on trees! You don’t even earn a single coin for the family! For Changfeng’s schooling we already struggle—use soot mixed with water and let her drink that! Hire a doctor? Does she think she’s some young lady?”
Ji Pingping chimed in smugly, “Exactly, all the money goes to big brother’s studies. Grandma has no money.”
Ji Changlan was furious. The money for her brother’s schooling was mostly earned by her mother washing clothes and her brother copying texts, with Granny Ji contributing only a tiny fraction.
Song Zhaoxi suddenly smiled. “Didn’t you say Grandma was going to make you a new outfit recently? How could there be no money?”
Ji Pingping panicked instantly. “Shut up! You dare touch my new clothes? I’ll kill you!”
She rushed forward and pinched Song Zhaoxi hard. Song Zhaoxi said coldly, “Everyone saw it—this is how she usually beats me!”
Seeing how practiced Ji Pingping was, the villagers’ doubts about the earlier lies collapsed instantly.
At that moment, the second branch wife, Li Shi, returned after dealing with the pig. She had been watching coldly from the side. Seeing this, she angrily dragged Ji Pingping aside and kicked her twice, forcing her to behave.
Now the villagers clearly saw they were lying.
Granny Ji was so furious she could skin that useless girl alive. With so many people watching, she couldn’t afford further embarrassment. She stormed back into the house and shoved several dozen copper coins—originally meant for Ji Pingping’s clothes—into Yao Shi’s hands.
“Take this and get your fool daughter-in-law treated! Now get lost!”
“Alright, alright, everyone disperse,” someone said.
After the villagers left, Yao Shi led Song Zhaoxi and Ji Changlan back inside. Ji Changfeng’s four-year-old younger brother, Ji Chang’an, was also there.
The little boy sat on the kang, then climbed over with his short legs and gently blew on Song Zhaoxi’s arm. “Huff, huff… sister-in-law won’t hurt anymore.”
Song Zhaoxi’s heart almost melted.
Seeing her injuries, Yao Shi felt distressed. “Changlan, go fetch some water to wash her wounds. I’ll go find a doctor.”
Looking at the dilapidated small room, Song Zhaoxi felt a trace of emotion. The original novel had briefly mentioned how difficult Ji Changfeng’s family life was in the countryside.
To most people, a helpless fool’s life meant nothing—even if she died, it wouldn’t matter. Yet Yao Shi, after finally getting money from Granny Ji, didn’t keep it for herself but chose to hire a doctor.
Such kindness was rare.
Perhaps only such a family could produce someone like Ji Changfeng, who would later become a terrifying powerhouse.
But how such an honest, struggling family could raise someone like Ji Changfeng—the kind of figure feared by everyone—was truly strange to her.